The invention relates to a filling level sensor for detecting a fuel filling level in a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, with a lever arm which secures a float, follows the fuel filling level and has a support provided for installation in the fuel tank, and with a mounting of the lever arm on the support.
Filling level sensors of this type generally have a potentiometer arranged on the support or a magnetically passive position sensor for detecting the deflection of the lever arm, and are known from practice. In the case of fuel tanks nowadays which are generally very shallow and long, the lever arm is likewise very long. For installation, the filling level sensor is introduced with the float in front into the fuel tank through an installation opening which is kept very small. The support is subsequently fastened in the fuel tank. It is necessary in this case for the filling level sensor to be threaded through the installation opening into the fuel tank in a sufficiently careful manner, since the lever arm in particular can be damaged. Furthermore, when the filling level sensor is introduced into the fuel tank, the lever arm has to be pivoted in order to prevent the float from bumping against a wall of the fuel tank.
The invention is based on the problem of developing a filling level sensor of the type mentioned at the beginning in such a manner that it permits particularly simple installation in the fuel tank.